Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon has introduced a new mantra for his team this season: Try not to suck. That shouldn’t be so difficult considering Chicago has a bevy of talent and is a favorite to end the 108-year World Series drought.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
All that’s left is to play the games. The Cubs are a mere seven months from finding out if everybody was right about them, then if they were right about themselves. Widely considered the favorite to win the World Series in 2016 and end the drought that passed the century mark eight years ago. The Cubs are loaded – with talent and expectations – but are a team that knows plenty has to happen for things to go their way.
Last season ended with the Cubs standing in front of their dugout late one October night, waving to the fans who refused to leave Wrigley Field, promising them more. Then they picked up Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward and John Lackey. A 97-win team was better, if the so-called experts are right about them. The season couldn’t have started any better for the north siders. The ace was brilliant and the bats were scorching. Manager Joe Maddon reminds his boys as often as possible, “Try not to suck.”
PROBABLE PITCHERS
After a strong start to the 2015 season, Jason Hammel struggled through a second half that prompted quick hooks from Cubs manager Joe Maddon. A leg injury sustained during a July 8 game factored into the downfall, and Hammel’s ERA was 5.10 over his final 14 starts.
Overall Hammel was 10-7 with a solid 3.74 ERA over 170.2 innings with a career-best strikeout percentage. He’ll enter the season as the No. 4 starter and he’s serviceable in that role.
Robbie Ray started the 2015 season in the minors, but he eventually earned a promotion and put together a very respectable year with a 3.52 ERA in 23 starts with a strikeout rate of 8.4 per nine innings.
Ray’s inability to pitch deep into games – he pitched beyond 6.0 innings four times – limited him to just a 5-12 record. He was tagged with a loss in his start against the Cubs, surrendering two earned runs with eight strikeouts in a 2-0 decision last September.
LIVE BETTING
Chicago hitters topped MLB in strikeouts last season and it wasn’t close. The Cubs whiffed 1,518 times, which was 126 more than the Houston Astros and an average of better than nine strikeouts per game. And we can expect more of the same in 2016 with many of the usual suspects back in the batters box. Kris Bryant was second behind only Baltimore’s Chris Davis with 199 strikeouts, and five regulars fanned over 100 times. The 2016 season started much the same way with 12 Cubs hitters getting punched out by five Angels pitchers. Chicago will face a strikeout artist in Arizona’s Robbie Ray, who averaged 8.4 strikeouts for every nine innings pitched.
QUICK PICK
The Cubs may strike out a lot, but that’s fine with Maddon as long as the production on balls in play is high. It was last year and Chicago did a masterful job in Anaheim sweeping the Angels in a two-game set to open the much-anticipated campaign. Chicago’s potent lineup could have a big series in Arizona, especially against the back end of the D-Backs rotation. The bullpen isn’t much to hang your hat on either. Combine those elements in a very good hitters park and we could see scores soaring. The Cubs like what Hammel did in the spring in his comeback from an injury that dampened his second half last season. The loss of A.J. Pollock is also a big blow to Arizona’s offense.
MLB Odds: Chicago 7, Arizona 5
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Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Chicago Cubs versus the Arizona Diamondbacks will commence Friday, April 8, 2016, at 9:40 p.m. ET at Chase Field. The game will be televised live on WGN.
